With the Central Government making a special ad hoc allocation of additional quota of wheat and rice for the Capital, Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf has said that both these grains would now be provided at very low rates at fair price shops to all ration card holders.

Mr. Yusuf said while wheat would be sold at Rs.9.15 per kg, rice would be made available at Rs.12.55 per kg through the public distribution system. He said the Delhi Government has taken the initiative to immediately pass on the benefit of the largesse of the Centre to the people.

The Minister informed that the Centre had allocated an additional quota of 37,389 metric tonnes of wheat and 9,905 metric tonnes of rice for Delhi. These grains are meant to be distributed over the coming three months.

Stating that these rations would be available to all the APL card holders too, Mr. Yusuf said the move was aimed at controlling the price line and helping needy people. The market price of wheat and rice, he said, were much higher than the rates at which these grains would be sold through the PDS.

The Minister said each card holder would be provided 14.25 kg of wheat and 3.75 kg of rice at the new rates. He also announced that all APL stamped card holders would benefit from the scheme. Moreover, there would be no need for them to produce their income certificates for availing of the scheme.